Jersey students: "We are all refugees in one way or another"

Wednesday 22 March 2017

Students from Jersey's Youth Assembly have backed a plan to welcome 400 Syrian refugees to the Island over the course of the next five years.

Jersey College for Girls presented the proposition for debate among the 20th Youth Assembly which included 40 sixth form students. It was adopted with 27 votes in favour and 13 against.

Reading the proposition, Jasmine Box told the Assembly that, "...according to Oxfam figures, the United Kingdom has only welcomed 8% of its fair share of refugees, Jersey has welcomed 0% of the 40 people, or 8 families, it was supposed to. We are all refugees in one way or another. Why shouldn't we be the first generation to all Syrian refugees in our country? We are all vulnerable to disaster and the only difference between us and them is that we were born here and they were born there." 

A number of members of the Assembly pointed out the logistic difficulties that would arise if Jersey was to receive 400 refugees. Eleanor Radcliffe, from Beaulieu, stated: "It is already hard to accomodate migrants in Jersey and there is sometimes families of five living in a 1-bedroom flat."

Students in Jersey Youth Parliament at States of Jersey pic.twitter.com/QtZ2g4kMYd

— JCG (@jcg_live) March 21, 2017

Charlie Flynn, from Victoria College, told the Assembly: "The cost of living in Jersey is higher than in the UK or the rest of Europe, surely that will create issues. There is also the issue of integration and of the language barrier. It might be better from the refugees to move to a country where there is already a migrant community."

Tiago Ventura, from Hautlieu, delivered an emotional speech in favour of the proposition, using his own experience as comparison. "I chose to come to Jersey, the refugees were made to leave. They just want a place to call home and we should not look at them as just numbers. Whether we welcome 400, 40 or 10, any would help."

Supporting the proposition, Cerys Fearn pointed out that: "Andium could easily speed up their plans to build 1,000 (homes) by 2020. It would not be much more of a strain. As far as integration is concerned, surely we should be increasing diversity instead of creating discrimination."

Concluding the debate, JCG student Lucy Pallent, said: "This is a five-year plan with the first year being one of preparation. Sometimes what is right is not what is easy and the choice Jersey is facing is one that other countries like Germany or Russia have faced before. That being said I don't want to have to tell my kids, when they ask me about the refugee crisis, that we were too hard-hearted to take on more people."

Proposition on Jersey accepting 400 Syrian refugees is adopted 27-13 with 5 abstentions

— States Assembly (@StatesAssembly) March 21, 2017

The debate came a few minutes after Chief Minister Ian Gorst, answering questions without notice, reiterated that Jersey would not take on any refugees. "We are trying to move beyond our traditional support. However we are not able to provide different provisions for a small number of families, there are already people in Jersey waiting for housing or income support. But we will be giving more money than originally planned."

Other subjects that the Youth Assembly debated included mixed-gender schools, an equitable taxation system, the obligation to retake a driving test every 20 years and the streamlining of the States - only the latter was adopted.